Football regulator says he would quit over Man City political interference

Key points

• David Kogan, chairman of the Independent Football Regulator, said he would resign if he faced political interference over Manchester City's case.
• An independent commission found Manchester City broke Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018, and the club has appealed.
• Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised for saying he would be 'really concerned' if the scandal led to the club's Abu Dhabi owners selling.

David Kogan, chairman of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), has said he would resign if he encountered any political interference over the future of Manchester City. The IFR has the power to assess the suitability of club owners and executives, and could even force a sale if an independent commission's findings that the club broke Premier League financial rules are upheld.

The commission found City had broken rules over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. Owners Abu Dhabi United Group, a private investment company belonging to UAE vice-president and deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour, are said to have topped up the value of commercial deals as part of a 'disguised funding scheme' to the scale of £830m. City insist they are innocent and have appealed.

Political pressure and Kogan's response

Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised last month for saying he would be 'really concerned' if the scandal led to Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners selling the club. When asked about Burnham's comments, Kogan told BBC Sport that the Prime Minister is entitled to his own observations, but stressed the IFR's independence. Kogan said no politician has tried to influence the regulator's work on the case, and when asked what he would do if he did come under political pressure, he replied: 'I would resign.'

The Prime Minister is entirely entitled to make his own observations on anything.

— David Kogan

Potential sanctions and next steps

The independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing, which could take months to convene, to decide on City's punishment. Possible penalties include a huge fine, points deduction, or expulsion from the Premier League. Kogan said it is 'very important' that the case is resolved as soon as possible. He added that the case raises 'very serious issues' if Manchester City is found guilty on appeal, and that the IFR will examine whether owners, directors and senior executives are fit to run a club safely and with probity.